Cleveland Police must improve the way it treats people, according to inspectors.

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has published a report into the fairness and ethics of every police service in the country.

The Legitimacy inspection examined all 43 forces in England and Wales on whether they operate fairly, ethically and within the law, how they engage with their communities and their use of stop and search and tasers.

Thirty six police forces were graded as ‘good’, with two of the forces, Derbyshire and Kent Police achieving an ‘outstanding’ grade. However, Cleveland Police was one of five forces which inspectors found to ‘require improvement’.

HMIC considers a police force to be legitimate if it has the consent of the public, and if those working in the force consistently behave in a way that is fair, ethical, and within the law.

Prior to the inspection, a number of taser deployment form and stop and search forms were viewed, and inspectors also listened to calls for service from members of the public.

Inspectors found that Cleveland, in general, treats people fairly and ethically, but there are still improvements to make.

Cleveland Police's Middlesbrough HQ at Middlehaven

HMI Mike Cunningham, who led the inspection, said: “Forces generally continue to clarify and reinforce high standards of professional behaviour and seek the views of their workforces, and they are taking positive steps to improve the wellbeing of their workforces.

“However, for the first time, we looked at how well forces are tackling the problem of officers or staff abusing their positions of authority for sexual gain. This is the most significant corruption

challenge for the police, as it betrays the trust of the public – particularly some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“Forces need to become far more proactive in rooting out this most serious form of corruption, rather than only dealing with it once it has been reported, and ensure every preventative measure is being taken if they are to continue to hold the trust of the public.”

Simon Nickless, deputy chief constable at Cleveland Police, said: “I’m pleased that HMIC acknowledges the significant progress that we have made in continuing to develop the culture within the organisation, through increased awareness of the code of ethics and highlighting our standards and expectations.

“We will be conducting an assessment of the resources available within the Counter Corruption Unit, which will form part of a wider review of the Professional Standards Department as a whole.

“I feel positive that the force is making good progress in many areas, but we must continue to work with the public to deliver a policing service that protects the most vulnerable and supports communities.”